Scam in IM area

IRON MOUNTAIN – The Michigan State Police (MSP) would like to notify residents about a new scam circulating around the area.

Citizens have reported calls in which the caller claims to be a member of law enforcement. The caller tells citizens that there is a warrant for their arrest and to avoid being arrested, they must pay a fine.

“Scams can take many forms, but citizens should know that law enforcement will never call you to notify you of a warrant and to ask for money or bank account information,” said Sgt. Dave Stuck of the MSP Iron Mountain post.

Most scams involve obtaining a victim’s personal information under false pretenses. The scammer usually portrays a sense of urgency, pretending to be an official of a legitimate organization in order to fool a victim into providing personal information or money.

To avoid becoming the victim of a scam:

– Do not give personal information to unknown callers.

– Do not respond to unsolicited e-mails from unknown senders.

– Confirm the identity of a contact by independently speaking with the identified source, such as a bank, credit card company, or government agency.

– Ask for a call-back name and number and then use a reliable source, such as a phone book, to confirm the contact’s phone number or e-mail.